PCAP wrap: QC slips past Olongapo; Cebu downs CDO in Armageddon

MANILA, Philippines – In some close and exciting matches, the Quezon City Simba’s Tribe slipped past the Olongapo Team 7, 12-9, while Cagayan de Oro outlasted Cebu, 2-1, in Armageddon (10.5-all) upon the resumption of the Open Conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines.

The Simba’s Tribe got the jump on Team 7 in blitz, 5-2, behind Paulo Cristobal, Michaela Concio, Danilo Ponay and Joseph Navarro.

Olongapo rallied in rapid chess but was only able to tie it at 7-7, which was not enough to overhaul the three-point deficit.

In the Southern Division match between Cebu and CDO, the latter took a 4.5-2.5 lead after blitz play. A key win by the Machers’ Randy Cabuncal on Board One allowed Cebu to win rapid, 8-6, to notch the point count to 10.5-all and send the game into extra boards.

In overtime, Dennis Navales and NM Elwin Retanal got the best of Fr. Vic Arellano and Roberto Salomon Jr. respectively for a 2-1 victory. Retanal claimed all four points available from his boards while Navales grabbed 2.5 of the four points in his matches.

Coupled with their win over Mindoro, Quezon City went to 3-2 that placed them fifth in the Northern Division while Cebu, which split its games after an earlier loss to Palawan, went to 3-4; good for eighth spot in the south.

In other close matches, San Juan and Tacloban squeaked past the Cavite Spartans and Pagadian by the same 11-10 scores.